Permits

Bossier Levee District (BLD) channels have a statutory 100 foot control area located on each side of the channel which is between the high bank of the channel and 100 feet out from the high bank, unless it has been reduced by the BLD. Encroachments may be granted on a case-by-case basis when it can be determined that an encroachment in a particular area would not have an adverse affect on the overall drainage system in the district. Encroachment Requests are reviewed by the BLD Board of Commissioners and the La. Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD). Following are submission guidelines:

The permit request should include the following information:

1) Letter of Request

The Letter of Request should be addressed to the Board of Commissioners of the Bossier Levee District along with all other additional information listed below; copies should be sent to LA DOTD and to the USACE when applicable.

Board of Commissioners of the Bossier Levee District
P.O. Box 8279 Bossier City, Louisiana 71113
Attention: Timothy Larkin, President (original)

La. Department of Transportation & Development
Attention: Mr. Robert C. Tomasek, Water Resource Engineer
P.O. Box 38, Shreveport, Louisiana 71161 (copy)

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Attention: Mr. Spencer L. Touchstone
4155 E. Clay Street
Vicksburg Mississippi 39183
(copy to USACE only for work near a levee or for work near Red River, or Loggy Bayou)

The letter of request should provide the applicants name, date, applicant’s representative, applicant’s address, phone number, fax number, email address, location of proposed work (section, township, and range; GPS Coordinates), and a detailed description of items requested.

2) Vicinity Map

The vicinity map should show the nearest intersecting street, (Section, Township, Range), and GPS Coordinates for permit location.

3) Site Plan

The Site Plan should provide detailed information for the proposed work and should include TOPO, contour lines, grading details and elevations, FEMA Floodway for permits near drainage channels, channel high bank line, and levee board control area. For work near channels cross sections of the channel slope may be required. The site plan should also be overlaid to current aerial photography.

4) Property Description

Legal description of property should be furnished for encroachment permits.

5) No Adverse Impact

For work in or near a floodway a letter from the Flood Plain Manager approving the proposed work will be required prior to obtaining a permit from the levee district; the Flood Plain Manager inside Bossier City Limits is city engineer Mark Hudson (318) 741-8568, and outside the city limits is parish engineer Butch Ford (318)-965-2328. In addition a No Rise Study may be required; contact the Flood Plain Manager to determine if a No Rise Study is needed.

Additional Information

It is recommended that an informal discussion be held with the Bossier Levee District’s Operations Coordinator Mark Long and with DOTD Engineer Robert Tomasek prior to placing a matter on the agenda, in order that any preliminary problems can be resolved; Mr. Long can be reached at (318)746-7151 and Mr. Tomasek at (318)549-8417.

Contact Deanna Rabb at the levee board office to place the request on the agenda. (318)746-7151. No item will be placed on the agenda without Letters of No Objection from the DOTD, Flood Plain Manager, and Corps when applicable. The board meets one time each month on the second Wednesday of the month at 10:00 am at the levee board office located at 3404 Industrial Drive, Bossier City.

Permit requests must be submitted a minimum of two (2) and preferably three (3) weeks prior the regular scheduled board meeting to allow time for review by the DOTD, Flood Plain Manager, and Corps when applicable.

Note: For permits which require submittal to the USACE additional permit request forms are required; contact either Mark Long by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Deanna Rabb at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to obtain the forms, or by phone at (318)746-7151.

Updated 12/13/2019

A permit must be obtained to cross a levee within the Bossier Levee District (BLD). Permit applications for levee crossings do not require formal approval by the BLD Board of Commissioners; they are approved by the BLD administrative staff. Levee crossing permits are reviewed by BLD staff, La. Department of Transportation & Development (DOTD) and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. The purpose of the levee permit program is to evaluate all activities on or adjacent to levees in order to ensure that no action or activity is undertaken which would or reasonably might threaten the use, operations, maintenance, protection or integrity of the levees or its components and to establish controls which allow for legitimate non-threatening activity.